Calgary Council Urged to Reject New Water Efficiency Plan as Misguided
The City of Calgary has quietly released its latest water efficiency plan with minimal public scrutiny or analytical depth, continuing what critics describe as a steady bureaucratic march toward ineffective policy. This plan arrives amid ongoing water restrictions following the Bearspaw South Feeder Main shutdown in March 2026, yet its foundational assumptions face sharp criticism from experts and observers.
Flawed Climate Change Narrative
The executive summary of the plan immediately attributes Calgary's water challenges to climate change, a perspective that has grown increasingly controversial due to decades of inaccurate predictions and costly, fruitless policies. This ideological approach persists despite weakening global efforts to mitigate carbon dioxide levels, suggesting a shift toward adaptation strategies—like Calgary's Springbank dry dam and Bow River flood barriers—would be more practical. Notably, these existing infrastructure projects address issues of excess water, not scarcity.
Misrepresentation of Water Supply
The plan employs the catchy phrase "Calgary is a big city on two small rivers," which critics argue misrepresents the actual water supply situation. While Calgary has a semi-arid climate, it benefits from a vast, well-managed aquifer along major basins. This underground resource ensures water security is not under pressure, contrary to claims in the plan that suggest a limited supply necessitates bureaucratic command-and-control measures to manage demand.
Aquifer Capacity in Action
Recent events highlight the aquifer's critical role. During repairs to the Bearspaw feeder main, Calgary sourced approximately 500 million litres of water daily from the Glenmore Reservoir. Despite this massive withdrawal, the Alberta government's Reservoir Storage Summary from March 31 showed the Glenmore at 92% capacity, with less than a 1% change since March 1. This stability is attributed to water from the underground reservoir, which naturally surfaces along the Elbow River, demonstrating resilience even when surface precipitation is frozen as snow or ice.
Drought Realities and Data Discrepancies
The plan warns of climate-induced "more frequent droughts," but Calgary's semi-arid climate means drought is the default condition, not an anomaly. Alberta has adapted with extensive irrigation systems, among the world's largest. Furthermore, climate change proponents often claim increased rainfall avoids Alberta, favoring wetter regions, yet data contradicts this. A 2023 study spanning 40 years found decreasing drought trends, particularly in the Bow River headwaters, indicating that water feeding Calgary's aquifer is actually increasing.
Time Variations and Infrastructure Solutions
Rainfall variability, such as during the 2013 floods, remains a concern, but the provincial government is proactively expanding the Ghost Reservoir to enhance management capacity. This project will serve dual purposes: flood mitigation and water storage for dry periods, offering a more balanced approach than the city's efficiency plan.
In summary, critics urge the Calgary council to reject this water efficiency plan, arguing it relies on outdated climate narratives, misjudges local water security, and overlooks the proven capacity of aquifers and adaptive infrastructure. A reassessment focusing on data-driven adaptation, rather than bureaucratic control, is recommended to ensure sustainable water management for the future.
